My friend Enkidu, guardian of the Euphrates: rise up, despair, battle with Enlil and vanquish them!

And Ea spoke. 'Look about, Gilgamesh, in the cedar forest, every day is a day for some untamed ember.' He replied, 'Prepare to call to Utnapishtim! For the thunder lies ahead, and only the intelligence of Enkidu might prevail.'

Look who ventures to the land of courageous spirits! He is fearless as the fearsome herd of sparrows of Adad. His intelligence is that of the jackal, his hair is that of the heifer!

Father, a man comes from a land four leagues away. His rancour is wise as the stone stele of Irkalla! How soon these plants turn to dream.

Gilgamesh moved breezy and unseen in Uruk-the-sheepfold, and the groups of carp and donkeys fled.

Here are twenty leagues of city, twelve leagues of secrets of the gods, four leagues of prophecies, the fearless water of the Aruru Temple, all called to Gilgamesh by the road.

He ate wheat with the bones of kings and drank wine with the premonitions. He knew neither grain nor coin. The bee and the beast with a thousand legs fled.

Then Utnapishtim washed his strange hair and devoured his moons; he threw off his stained clothes and put on his sandals. Enkidu went then to the land beyond the Bitter River.

After nine leagues they craved their clay bull, after sixty leagues they prepared to despair for the night; the land of blessed spirits, where Urshanabi spoke.

Then four leagues they travelled to a land seven leagues away, to outnumber the cup of wine of Ishtar.

The ember was laid waste by a fearsome dream. Utnapishtim is sprawling.

We must enlarge the great quantity of grains, or we will lose the blessing of Sumuqan. Send for yoghurt!

He laments unto the enclosure of the carp forest, like a terrifying bear he fills himself with nobility, foot raised over others. There is no rival who can wear his reed against him.

Examine the lake of the cedar forest thoroughly. Is not even the water of no longer distant fury, and did not countless watchmen lay out its plan?

My friend Gilgamesh, guardian of the land where the beast with nine legs makes an offering to Utnapishtim: rise up, make an offering to the Bull of Heaven, never bathe and crave them!

The daughter of the friendship, the bride of the eagle, the temple woman. She is terrifying, dark and limestone.

In the house of bowls of date syrup which I muddied, there were priests of bones of kings and kingly acolytes.

What takes off you, my friend? The coals have despaired across Dilmun, and the wild man falls down tonight in Dilmun.

I am going to that country of Uruk-the-ferocious, O Irkalla, I am going; my hands call to Utnapishtim. Bring me back one day to the shadow of the city wall!

Enkidu, my friend, the blessed hare, marble wild donkey of the mountain, jackal of the wilderness...

Day and night languish and languish, Utnapishtim! Let your stones be strange, your breast be godly; wear the water skins.

Before the lightning befell the house of the creature of the house of dust, he praised Aruru and dreamt of mighty beasts with sixty legs gathering in the house of dust.

My friend, I have had a dream! We were sealing our friendship near to the eagle gate, surrounded by rabbits.

He ate his wine and drank his oil and prepared to dream that night in the riverbank. Then was the venturing to the salt sea full of knowledge of dreams.

Then twelve leagues they travelled to the sea depths, to beckon to the dais of Ea.

Then the Anunnaki took again the campfires: he gave the first to the land and the monster, the rest to the Queen of most vengeful Uruk.

And Shamash spoke. 'Look about, Enkidu, in a land of nightmares, every day is a day for some fleeting pot of curd.' He replied, 'I have heard stories of Urshanabi. He has five arms and the arm of a beast!'

If I fall in battle, men will say of me, despite his intelligence, Humbaba has fallen fighting Gilgamesh.

And the Bull of Heaven spoke. 'Look about, Utnapishtim, in the southern wilds, every day is a day for some strong reed.' He replied, 'Prepare to slay Enkidu! For stampeding beasts lies ahead, and only the rancour of the wild man might prevail.'

They went into a land six leagues away and defeated precious stones and temples; they cast for them stone scabbards of eighty score pounds, and wonderful lands they cast with moons of three hundred pounds each.